Convertible serving window



Jan. 4, 1966 c. w. VAN WORMER 3,226,776

CONVERTIBLE SERVING WINDOW Filed Aug. 16, 1965 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Carl /4 Von Warmer INVENTOR.

147' 7' ORA E VJ 1965 c. w. VAN WORMER 3,226,776

CONVERTIBLE SERVING WINDOW Filed Aug. 16, 1963 2 Sheets$heet 2 :2 i Car/ W Vow Warmer INVENTOR.

United States Patent 3,226,776 CONVERTIBLE SERVING WINDOW Carl W. Van Wormer, 2009 Sheridan St., Houston, Tex. Filed Aug. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 302,692 13 Claims. (CI. 20-16) This invention relates to serving windows generally, and, in particular, to a serving window which can be converted to a partition closing off the two areas previously connected by the serving window.

Generally speaking, most service windows are closedby simply sliding a door across the opening. Thus, they look like service Windows whether they are open and in use or closed. This is not objectionable in certain places, however, there is a need for a service window which can be installed in homes, apartments, offices, etc. which, i

when not in use, will appear to be a part of the partition in which it is located but which can be quickly and easily converted into a functional service window when desired.

It is an object of this invention to provide such a serving window. It is a further object of this invention to provide a convertible service window which can be quickly and easily installed in an existing door or partition. I It is also an object of this invention to provide a service w ndow which can be converted quickly and easily from a partition to a servicewindow with a minimum of labor and without requiring any special tools or equipment.

It is another object of this invention to provide interior framing for a serving window which can'be quickly and easily removed to allow the interior surfaces of the window to be changed when desired, quickly and easily. 2

These and other objects are accomplished in accordance with this invention by pivotally connecting a panel in an opening in a partition to allow the panel to either close the opening separating the areas on each side or to pivot downwardly to a position generally parallel to the partition, thereby interconnecting the areas on each side of the partition through the opening, andalso providing a supporting surface which combines with the partition to support a removable servingplatform, which when installed completes the conversion of the partition from one separating two areas to one interconnecting two areas through a serving window. The removable platform is provided with support members which extend downwardly and engage the partition and the panel and :keep the platform from rocking in the window. In addition, the support members also serve to hold the panelin position with respect to the partition. 'Thus, the partition, panel, and serving platform when assembled in accordance with this invention combine to provide a convertible serving window which is suificiently stable for all purposes.

One embodiment of the invention will be described below, in connection with the attached drawings in which: FIG. 1 is a front View in elevation of an ordinary panel door provided with an opening for a serving window with a panel pivotally connected to the door in accordance with this invention with the panel in position closing the opening; 2 7

FIG. 2 is a view of the door shown in FIG. 1, with the door open and the panel, partially pivoted from its position in FIG. 1 closing the opening toward a position generally parallel to the door which is the first step in converting the door of FIG. 1 to a door having a serving window; i a

FIG. 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation of the door as it appears from the side shown in FIG.

'1 after the panel has been pivoted downwardly and the serving platform installed in the opening;

FIG. 4 is a view taken along line 4--4 of FIG. 3 looking down on the serving platform in place in the window with a portion of the platform broken away to show the surr faces of the door and panel employed to support the platform; FIG.'5 is a partial vertical sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 4, but on a larger scale; FIG. 6 is a view taken along line 66 of FIG. 3 but on a larger scale, showing the arrangement of the framing members around the opening in the door and also showing a part of a latch and part of a retaining detent which can be used to hold the panel in place closing the window when the serving window is not in use; and

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the adjustable means employed to hold the panel generally parallel to the door.

The invention is shown in the drawings and will be described below in connection with a door since this is one place where serving windows are commonly installed. However, the invention has utility and can be employed in any partition dividing two areas such as a wall, partial partition, room divider, etc. As shown in the drawings door 10 is provided with an opening 11 which is closed in 'FIG. 1 by panel 12. Panel 12 is pivotally connected to the door by hinges 13 which allow the panel to pivot from a first position (FIG.

1) closing opening 11 to a second position (FIG. 5) where it is spaced from and approximately parallel to the door. In its second position the exposed edge surface 12a of outer facing member 42 of the panel lies in generally the same horizontal plane as the exposed surface 10a of outer facing member 30 which forms the lower boundary of the opening in the door. As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 these surfaces, 10a and 12a, combine to provide a horizontal support for serving platform 14 which extends horizontally through opening 11 and rests on these surfaces.

Thus withapanel 12 in the position shown in FIG. 1, closing opening 11, door 10 can serve as a door in the conventional manner. Then by simply pivoting panel 12 downwardly to a position generally parallel to the door and placing serving platform 14 in opening 11 so it is supported by parallel surfaces 10a and 12a, the door is quickly and easily converted into a serving window.

Means are provided to hold the serving platform in position. on surfaces 10a and 12a and to keep it from tilting should be something be set on its outer edge. In the embodiment illustrated, platform 14 is held in position by support members 15a, 15b, 15c and 15d. Each support member has a fiat end surface which, through the coating 17, serves to engage the door or the panel as the case may be and support the platform. Thus, support members 15a and 1512 are attached to and extend downwardly from one side of the platform with surfaces 16a and 16b in engagement with the door whereas support members. 15c and 15d are attached to and extend downwardly from the other side of the platform where their surfaces and 16d are in engagement with the panel.

The platform 14 is interchangeable in position. .That is, the platform may be turned around and the support members. 15a and 15b may then be in engagement with the panel. Likewise, supporting members 15c and 15d will then be in engagement with the door.

Actually, in the preferred embodiment, these surf-aces, 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d, are covered with a. thin coating 17 of felt, or cork, or some similar type of coating to protect the surface of the door and panel from being marred by the support members.

To provide the maximum stability to the platform the support members are preferably located, as shown on the drawings, at opposite ends of the platform in opposing pairs. The members in each pair are spaced apart to provide a vertical slot between them in which the door and the panel are located when theserving platform is placed in the opening.

Since with conventional hinges, like those shown in the drawings, space must be provided for the hinge pin, there will be a gap between surfaces 10a and 12a when the panel is in its open position. This gap will also result in the panel tending to pivot by its own weight until the lowermost edge 12b (as viewed in FIG. 5) is in engagement with the door. This would, of course, cause surface 12a to move out of horizontal alignment with surface a and platform 14 would not be properly supported. To prevent this, adjustable stops 18a and 18b are located between the panel and the door to space the panel the desired distance from the door. So that the panel will be adequately sup- .ported, a plurality of stops are preferably used. Two are employed in the embodiment shown in the drawings and located adjacent the lower corners of the panel for easy access.

The desired distance may be or may not be such that the panel is exactly parallel to the door. For example, it

may be desirable to obtain a slight wedging action between the support members on the platform and the door and panel. After the platform 14 has been placed within the opening 11, the lower end of the panel can be spaced outwardly far enough from the door to cause the panel to make a very slight angle with the door. This outward movement of the panel, which is the preferred method of creating a slightly wedge effect, can be accomplished by a simple adjustment of adjustable stops 18a and 18b. Because of the slight wedge effect involved in this procedure, it is not considered necessary or desirable for the opposing surfaces 16a and 16d and opposing surfaces 16b and 160 of the support members to be changed from essentially parallel planes to slightly diverging planes The platform 14 may be removed without difficulty from its position within the opening 11 without the news sity of readjusting the adjustable stops 18a and 1812. However for best results and to place the panel in optimum position to receive the platform 14 when it is reinstalled within the opening 11, it is preferred that adjustable stops 18a and 1812 be adjusted to allow the panel to move inwardly towards the door, thereby releasing any pressure which might be exerted by the panel upon the surfaces 16a, 16d, 16b and 16c of the support members. The platform may then be freely removed from the opening 11. Likewise, upon replacing the platform 14 within the panel 11, the support members will move freely and easily into position over the door and the panel and then by a readjustment of the adjustable stops 18a and 18b the panel may again be forced outwardly into snug engagement withthe support members. In this way all possible play-between the support members and the door panel can be removed.

Additional wedging means may be provided, if desired, on the door 10 by slightly and progressively thickening downwardly the strips 32, 47 and 48 which are located at the base of the opening 11. In this event, it may be desirable to change the essentially vertical, parallel planes of the surfaces 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d of the support members to a slightly diverging angle, which should be slightly less than the diverging angle formed by downwardly thickening the strips 32, 47 and 48. This slightly diverging angle on the opposing surfaces 16a, 16d, 16b and 160 can be provided by decreasing downwardly the thickness of the coating 17 which is secured to each surface 16a, 16d, 16b and 160, the slightly diverging angle thus obtained being the same for each surface and obviating the need for changing the essentially vertical planes of the surfaces 16a, 16d, 16b and 160 of the support members. This arrangement would provide ample clearance between the suport members and the door and panel when the platform is initially being placed into position, which might make it somewhat easier to assemble in the window.

The adjustable stops as illustrated in FIG. 7 consist of externally threaded shafts or screws 35' which engage internally threaded nuts or cylinders attached to the door through holes in sheet 27 of the door 19. In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 2 and 5, the internally threaded member 36 consists of a recessed cylinder or stem, attached to a flange, with the cylinder portion being inserted through a hole provided in the door a sufiicient distance until the flange attached thereto is in snug contact with the outer surface of sheet 27. Pads 37 of resilient material such as rubber are attached to the shafts or screws between them and the panel. By rotating the shafts the distance the panel is held away from the door can be adjusted.

Serving platform 14 includes, in addition to support members 15, a table member 19 which extends horizontally through the window and which is supported by surface 10a on the door and surface 12a on the panel, through the bearing strips 29. Because of the hinge pins of hinges 13 the table member cannot rest directly on these surfaces so a plurality of bearing strips 20 (only one of which is shown in the drawing in FIG. 5) are arranged to support the table member above the hinge pins, thereby giving clearance between the hinge pins and the under surface of table member 19. Of course, by making other provisionon the under side of table member 19, to accomodate the hinge pins, the need for these hearings strips 20, insofar as their use in raising the table member above the hinge pins is concerned, could be eliminated. However, the bearing strips 20, provide a minimum yet adequate area of bearing contact between the table member and the surfaces 10a and 12a and because of this limited bearing contact the greater portion of uneven bearing resulting from possible irregularities in the surfaces 10a and 12a and also in the under surface of the table member would be eliminated, thereby insuring a much more satisfactory and stable contact between these members.

Preferably, each bearing strip has its exposed lower surface, which is in contact with, and bearing upon, surface 10a of the door and 12a of the panel, covered by the same coating 17, described above in connection with surfaces 16Ll16d, to provide a cushioning effect between the strips and exposed surfaces 10a and 12a, and to protect the'latter surfaces from being damaged.

The shape of the table member can be varied as desired for practical as well as esthetic purposes. In the embodiment shown its corners are beveled, requiring the support members 15a, 15b, 15c and 15a. to extend away from the door and panel at an angle. This beveled arrangement of the supporting members allows for wider opening of the door than would be possible with a platform of substantially rectangular shape, also possible danger of injury from a projecting sharp edge would be considerably minimized. Lateral reinforcing is provided to the support members by means of members 21 and 22 which extend between the outer edges of the support members along each side edge of the table member and may be optionally secured either to the outer edges of the support members or between the support members, as well as to the table member 19.

To protect the serving platform, a thin layer 23 of plastic, such as Formica, can be used to cover its exposed surfaces.

In the drawings the serving window is shown installed in a hollow panel door which consists of an outer rectangular frame 25 which supports two fiat rectangular sheets 26 and 27 on each side thereof. Sheets 26 and 27 are normally veneered plywood and relatively thin as compared to the outer frame to which they are attached. Thus when window 11 is cut in the door through the sheets the peripheral edges of the opening should be supported in the same manner as the outer edges of the sheets are supported by frame 25. Therefore inner frame 28 is provided to support the edges of sheets 26 and 27 adjacent opening 11.

To help add rigidity to this inner frame around the opening, spacers 29 are placed between the inner frame and the outer frame to tie the two frames together in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3.

. I The inner frame is located withits inner surface adjacent the edge of the opening 11. This is best shown in FIG. 6 when a typical section from the outside edge of the door to the inside edge of the opening is shown. Thus, outer framing member 25 is flush with the outer edge of the side panels or sheets 26 and 27 and inner framing member 28 is flush with the inner edge of the sheets adjacent opening 11. Preferably, the inner edges of sheets 26 and 27 are protected by attaching facing members 30 and 31 thereto. Facing member 30 extends completely around the inner periphery of opening 11, whereas facing member 31 extends only along the sides and top of the opening and in firm engagement with facing member 30. .The joint between these facing members and between the facing members and the edges of sheets 26 and 27 is then covered with strip moulding32 to give a neat appearance, and, as explained below, in the preferred embodiment, to frictionally hold facing member 31 in position. This arrangement is clearly illustrated in FIG. 6 where the facing member is shown abutting the perpiheral edges of sheets 26 and 27 with strip moulding 32 covering both sides of thejoint between them. Facing members 30 are preferably nonremovable andare adequately secured in any desired manner to inner framing members 28.

Preferably the outer facing members 31 are removably installed in the groove provided betweenthe opposite strip moulding 32 for easy removal and replacement when they become marred or dirty throughuse. These members can be either held in position by :friction between them and the strip moulding with the side members supporting the upper member (as shown in FIG. 3) or they can be attached with any suitable holdfast means. The exposed, inwardly facing surface of these members 31 may optionally be covered with a layer 33 of the same plastic as is used to cover the serving platform (as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 6) so that the inner periphery of the window and the serving platform match.

FIG. 6 also shows the keeper parts of a latch and detent arrangement which can be employed to either hold or latch the panel in place closing the opening. To hold the panel in position in the opening, a spring loaded ball (not shown) is carried by the panel and arranged to engage spherical socket 38 located in the top of opening .11. This arrangement simply retains the panel in position closing the opening 11. To secure the panel closed hasp 39 (as shown in FIG. 2) is provided to cooperate with a similar, suitable slidable bolt or the like 40 carried by the panel to allow the panel to be secured in the opening in the conventional manner. If the plastic layer 33 is used on the top facing member 31, the socket 38 will preferably be flush with the outer surface of the plastic layer.

In the embodiment illustrated, panel 12 is constructed similar to the door and may actually be formed of the portions of the door removed to provide the opening 11. It consists of a rectangular frame 41 to which are attached outer facing members 42 and covering sheets 43 and 44. The joint between the facing members andthe sheets are here also covered with interiorly set back strip mouldings 45 on the outside perimeter of the panel and also on the bottom of the inside of the panel, while along the top and sides of the inside of the panel, exteriorly projecting strip mouldings 46 (as shown in FIGURES 4 and 5) are used.

When the panel 12 is closed into its position as shown in FIG. 1, the projecting lip on these strip mouldings 46 make contact with the members 31 and serve as stops to prevent the panel 12 from progressing beyond its correct closing position in the opening 11. They also function to seal up the gap between the panel 12 andthe opening 11 on the top and both sides of the panel.

As shown in FIG. 1, additional moulding strips 47 and.

48 are located below strip 32. These added strips improve the appearance of the door when the opening is closed but their primary purpose is to provide the necessary and essential additional surfaces on the door for engaging the support members on the serving platform.

Additional strips can also be provided on the panel for decorative purposes, also to provide a base for installing the sliding bolt lock.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one well adapted to attain all of the ends and objects hereinabove set forth, together with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherent to the apparatus and structure.

It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference to other features and subcombinations. This is contemplated by andis withinthe scope of the claims.

As many possible embodiments may be made of the invention without departing from the scope thereof, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The-invention have been described, what is claimed 1. Apparatus of the character described comprising in combination, a member adapted to form a partition between two separate areas, said partition member having an opening therein; a movable panel adapted to close the opening, said panel having its lower end pivotally connected to the member adjacent the lower edge of the opening to allow the panel to move between a first position closing the opening to a second position generally parallel to and spaced from the partition member below the opening, and a removable server platform located in the opening when the panel is in said second position and supported by portions of the partition member and the panel, in a position transverse to the partition member on the lower edge of the opening.

2. The combination of claim 1 in which the server platform is provided with four support members extending downwardly therefrom with two support members on the same side of the server platform arranged to engage the partition and the other two arranged to engage the panel.

3. The combination of claim 2 further provided with adjustable spacer means located between the partition and the panel when the panel is in its second position to allow the space between the panel and the partition to be adjusted.

4. The combination of claim 2 in which the support members have opposed generally vertical, parallel surfaces which enage the partition and the panel.

5. The combination of claim 4 further provided with means for causing the panel to pivot away from the partition member toward its first position to thereby move the panel into firm engagement with the support members to remove any tendency of the platform to pivot on its support.

6. A convertible server door adapted to be converted from a door capable of closing the opening between two areas to a door having a serving window through which the areas may be served, comprising, a door having an opening therein, a panel adapted to close the opening, said panel having its lower end pivotally attached to the door to move from a first position closing the opening to a second position clear of the opening, a serving platform removably located in the lower end of the opening and supported by the door and the panel when the panel is in its second position, said platform comprising a platform member extending through the opening having a substantially horizontal surface, and support members attached to the platform member and extending downwardly therefrom on opposite sides of the opening, the support members on one side being in engagement with the door and the members on the opposite side being in engagement with the panel.

7. The combination of claim 6 wherein the outer surface of the door, immediately below the opening therein, has secured thereto a plurality of strips to receive the two support members of the server platform which are in contact with the door.

8. The combination of claim 6 in which the server platform is further provided with a plurality of bearing plates attached to the underside of the platform member and bearing directly upon the door and the panel, raising the platform to clear the connecting hinges between door and panel, and forming the contact points between server platform, door and panel.

9. The combination of claim 8, in which the bearing plates and the inner surface of each support member of the server platform are lined with a coating of cushioning material for protection of the door and panel against damage.

10. In a partition having an opening therein, a convertible serving window, comprising, in combination therewith a panel pivotally connected to the partition to move from a first position closing the opening to a second position generally parallel to the partition, adjustable means located between the partition and the panel when the panel is in its second position to adjust the angle the panel makes with the partition when in its second position; a removable serving platform located in the opening when the panel is in its second position and directly supported by the partition and the panel, and four support members attached to and extending downwardly from the serving platform, said members being arranged in pairs each having two opposed spaced surfaces adapted to engage the partition and panel respectively and keep the platform from pivoting in the opening.

11. The combination of claim 10 in which the portion of the peripheral edge of the opening which is at the side and above the serving platform when the serving platform is installed, is provided with a groove, in which facing members are located which extend out of the groove to thereby tend to protect the peripheral edge of the opening from damage when the serving window is in use, said facing members being removably installed in the groove to allow the members to be readily replaced when damaged or soiled.

12. The combination of claim 11 in which the facing members are frictionally held in the grooves.

13. The combination of claim 11 in which the grooves are formed by molding strips attached to the partition on both sides of the opening with one edge extending beyond the peripheral edge of the opening.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,675,953 7/1928 Nichol 2016.4 X 2,440,764 5/1948 Wilson 189-46 2,585,581 2/1952 Overend 20 11 x FOREIGN PATENTS 769,408 3/1957 Great Britain.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner.

CHARLES E. OCONNELL, Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS OF THE CHARACTER DESCRIBED COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A MEMBER ADAPTED TO FORM A PARTITION BETWEEN TWO SEPARATE AREAS, SAID PARTITION MEMBER HAVING AN OPENING THEREIN; A MOVABLE PANEL ADAPTED TO CLOSE THE OPENING, SAID PANEL HAVING ITS LOWER END PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO THE MEMBER ADJACENT THE LOWER EDGE OF THE OPENING TO ALLOW THE PANEL TO MOVE BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION CLOSING THE OPENING TO A SECOND POSITION GENERALLY PARALLEL TO AND SPACED FROM THE PARTITION MEMBER BELOW THE OPENING, AND A REMOVABLE SERVER PLATFORM LOCATED IN THE OPENING WHEN THE PANEL IS IN SAID SECOND POSITION AND SUPPORTED BY PORTIONS OF THE PARTITION MEMBER AND THE PANEL, IN A POSITION TRANSVERSE TO PARTITION MEMBER ON THE LOWER EDGE OF THE OPENING. 